Heater for internal-combustion engines



3fm/ventola Nl Swan be@ N. SWANBERG HEATER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION -ENGINES Flled Nov 18 1925 lllllllllll l.

Nov. 30 1926.'

Patented Nev. 3 0, 1926.A

PATENTv OFFICE.

Nans sv'vaNnnite, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

HEATER I OB INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application mea November 1s, 1925. serial No. 69,790.

invention resides in providing a device for heating only the ortion of the cooling medium confined within the water jacket ofthe engine so as to' conserve heat and reduce the time necessary to bring the cylinders up to the proper temperature.

Another object of the invention resides in roviding a device for simultaneously7 heatmg the cooling liquid within the cylinders of the engine and heating the oil within the oil reservoir so that the engine may be easily turned over and thtI oil may be freely circulated thereafter.

A still further object `of the invention resides in providing a heater positioned on the exterior of the engine and a radiating coil positioned within the oil reservoir, and to connect said heater and coil to opposite sides of the water jacket so as to cause the waterv to circulate from the heater across the cylinders and then -through the oil reservoir and back to the heater, thereby utilizing the heat remaining in the cooling liquid after it leaves the cylinders for heating the oil.

Other objects of the invention reside in the detailed construction thereof as disclosed in the following description, claims and drawing.

In the drawing illustrating my invention in one form:

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of an internal combustion engine showing the application of my invention thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is anl enlarged sectional view of one form of heater used with my invention.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the heating element used with the heater shown in In cold weather considerable difficulty is encountered in starting the engines of motor vehicles where the same have been allowed to stand in the cold for any length of time. This inconvenience has been partly remedied by the use of heaters by means of which the entire cooling Huid in thev radiator and water-jacket of the engine is heated, but such construction is undesirable due 'to the amount of heat required and inV the length of time necessary to bring the cylinders of the engine up to the proper temperature. In addition, further diiiiculty has been experienced in the lubricating oil becoming solidified so as to cause the engine to turn over with difficulty. My invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a heating system in which both the cylinders and the oil reservoir .is heated 'and by means of which the cooling {iuid in an engine only consistin of but a small quantity of liquid is heate up to the required temperature, thereby saving time and heat and at the same time permitting the engine to turn over easily and the oil to circulate free`y when the engine is operated.

To illustrate the application of my invention, I have shown in the drawings an internal combustion engine A comprisng a cylinder block 10 having a cylinder head 11 attached thereto. The cylinder block 10 is provided with a crank case 12 forming an oil reservoir 13 which communicates with the ily Wheel housing 14 of the same. In front of the engine A is positioned a radiator 15 which is connected by means of an inlet pipe 16 with the top of the Water jacket 17 of engine Afand with an outlet pipe 18, which is connected with said water jacket at a lower portion of the same and extends downwardly towards the bottom -of radiator 15. This structure together with a fan 19 forms the cooling system of the engine. Within the cylinder block 10 are positioned the pistons 20, which actuate a crank shaft 21 in the usual manner, as well as the valve mechanism 22 and other customary parts of the engine. This construction being, however, well known in the art has not been explained in detail further than to illustrate the application of the invention thereto. It will readily become apparent that the invention may be used with any of the ordinary forms of internal combustion engine used on motor vehicles.l

The invention proper consists of a heater B which is placed 'without the engine A and is connected to a radiator C positioned in the oil reservoir 13. Both of these devices are connected to the water jacket 17 so that the c oolin liquid within the water jacket 17 is cause to circulate through the Bil em loy an electrical heating element radiator C, the heater B and back through said water jacket. Thishas the efect of ,shunting or by-passing the cooling 1i uid ,in the radiator and of heating the coo mg li uid in -the cylinders only, as will hereina r become more apparent.

An annular rim 27 secured to container 24 holds the'coil 23 and the lining 26 in position within said container.

For use in connection with the coil 23 I which consists of a coil of filament of suitable resistance wire 28 wound spirally upon l a core 29 of refractory substance secured to an electric light socket 30. The coil28 is connected -to conductors 31 extending vfrom the socket 3() and by means of which the heating element may be connected to any suitable source of electrical energy so as to cause the coil or filament 28 to become heated to glowing red when the current is turned on. This heating element is adapted to be inserted into the interior of the coil of tubing 23 and is held spaced therefrom by means of a sheet of mica 32 placed within the interior of said coil 23 thereof. It will be noted that the convolutions 33 of the coil 23 are spaced so that the heat generated by the element D when positioned within the heater B heats the mica sheet 32 which causes the air in and about the space surrounding each convolution 33 of the coil of tubing 23 to become heated so a's to uniformly transmit the heat to said convolutions substantially throughout the entire outer surface thereof, thereby making the heater 'highly eiiicient.

The radiator C consists of a single convolution 34 of tubing which is positioned in the oil reservoir 13 and is attached to connectors 35 and 36 secured to the walls of crank :case 12 in such a manner that the cooling liquid may circulate freely through the radiator and so that the oil within said reservoir will not enter the radiator or leak out past these connections. This convolution is further arranged so that the inlet 37 thereof is positioned above the outlet 38 and so that the liquid therein will flow by gravity through the radiator, thereby removing any obstruction to the iow of the cooling liquid through the same.

The heater B and the radiator C are connected to the engine A as follows: A pipe 39 is connected at its lower end to the consaid reservoir.

nector 36 of radiator C and extends upwardly and along the side of engine A where it is 'connected to the lowermost portion of the water jacket 17 by means of a connector 40 tapped -into the same.- Another .pipe 41 is connected atits lower end to the connector 35 -of radiator 34 and extends upwardly being connected at its upper end with the bottom of coil 23 of heater B. A similar pipe 42 is connected at its lower end to the'top of the coil 23 and at its upper end to the water jacket 17 by means of a connector 44 which is tapped into it on the side opposite the connector 40 and at a point above the same. In this manner a clrcuitous passageway is formed for the cooling liquid in the cylinder Water jacket which extends through the ywater jacket 17, the pipe 39, radiator C, the pipe 41, heater B and through the pipe 42 back to the Water D jacket 17. If desired, the pipes 39 and 42 may be connected to any portions of the cooling system occupying substantially the same relative positions lnstead of directly to the Water jacket of the engine.`

In the use of the device the heating element D is connected to a suitable source of electrical energy and inserted within the heater B. This causes the coil 23 therein to become heated and the cooling liquid Within it to rise. The heated liquid enters into the space Within the-water jacket 17 where it circulates giving off its heat to the walls of the cylinder block 10 and cylinder head 11. As the liquid cools it falls, and enters pipe 39. From this-pipe it passes into the radiator C where it gives off further heat raising the tem erature of the oil within 1'Cpon leaving this radiator it is forced up to the heater B where it is again heated and circulated as befofia, The

cooling liquid in so circulating by-passes the liquid in the radiator so that only the portion thereof confined within the cylinder Water jacket is circulated and heated. Although the usual path for the circulation of the cooling liquid of the cooling system through the pipes 16, and 18 and the radiator 15 remains unobstructed, the portion of said cooling liquid heated by the heater B does not circulate through it. This is due to the following facts: As it requires energy to force the cold water upwardly,- it can be readily seen that in order that the water return to heater B through radiator 15 that the water must travel, through pipe 16, down the radiator and up the pipe 18, then through the pipe 39 and the rest of the Ail() system. In this manner the liquid within the radiator is trapped by means of pipe 18 so that only the liquid in the water jacket is heated and circulated.

The advantages of my invention are manifest. The device is extremely simple and will not'readily get out of order. The cylinders and oil of the engine may be quickly heated so as to permit of readily starting the engine in cold weather when the same would be otherwise impossible. A great economy in fuel consumption is ef'- fected over and above other heating systems in which all of the cooling liquid in the cooling system is heated.

Having described my invention in the form which I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention may be con-l structed in different ways and put to uses other than those disclosed within the scope of the following claims.

I claim 1. In combination with an internal com' bustion engine having a water jacket, a heater, a pipe connected with said heater and to the water jacket of said engine on one side thereof, and a second ipe connected to said heater. and to said water jacket on the other side thereof, said second pipe passing beneath said engine.

2. In combination with the water jacket and oil reservoir of an internal combustion engine, a heating system therefor comprising a heating coil positioned without the engine above the lowermost portion thereof, a radiating coil positioned within said oil reservoir, a pipe connecting thev upper end of said heating coil with a portion of said water jacket, a second pipe connecting the lower end of said heating coil with the lower end of said radiating coil, a' third pipe connecting the upper end of said ra diating coil -with said water jacket at a point below the connection of said, first named pipe with said Y water jacket and means for heating said heating coil.

3. In combination with the water jacket and oil reservoir of an internal combustion engine, a heating system therefor comprising a heating coil positioned without the engine above the lowermost portion thereof, a radiating coil positioned within said oil reservoir, a pipe connecting the upper end of said heating coil with a portion of said water jacket, a second pipe connecting the lower end of said heating coil with the lower end of said radiating coil, a third pipe connecting the u per end of said radiating coil with sai water jacket at a point below the connection of said iirst named pipe with said water jacket on the opposite side of said engine, and means for heating said heating coil.

4. In combination with the water jacket and oil reservoir of an internal combustion engine, a heating system therefor comprising a. circuitous water circulating system connected with said water jacket at one side, extending downwardly and along said engine, and through said oil reservoir and upwardly along the other side, and being connected with said water jacket on the opposite side thereof at a point below said first connection thereto, said circulating system including a heater positioned without the engine and a radiator positioned within the oil reservoir.

5. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a water jacket, a heater, including a coil, a pipe connecting the upper portion of said coil with the upper portion of said water jacket on one side thereof, said pipe being below the upper portion of said water jacket at all points thereof, and a second pipe connecting the lower portion of said coil with the lower portion of said water jacket on the opposite side thereof.

6. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a water jacket, a heater, including a coil, a pipe connect-ing the upper portion of said coil with the .upper portion of said water jacket on one side thereof, said pipe being below the upper portion of said water jacket at all oints thereof, and a second pipe connecting the lower portion of said coil with the lower portion of said water jacket on the opposite side thereof, said second pipe passing beneath the engine and having a radiator connected therein.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

NELS SWANBERG. 

